… No group’s members understand themselves to be taking positions contrary to what expert scientists advocate. They all believe that the position that predominates in their group is consistent with the views of expert scientists on the risks in question.
In other words, they recognize that science is a source of valid knowledge that they otherwise couldn’t obtain by their own devices, and that in fact one would have to be a real idiot to say, “Screw the scientists—I know what the truth is on climate, nuclear power, gun control, HPV vaccine etc & they don’t!” …
The reason we have these conflicts is because positions on these issues have become symbols of membership in, and loyalty to, the groups in question. CONT.
Dan Kahan, Yale Law School